Berks

1-Year-Old Child Dies in Berks County Fire

An infant girl died on Saturday morning after being trapped on the third floor of a fire in Cumru Township

Officials in Cumru Township, Berks County, said a fire tore through four homes and led to the death of an infant child on Saturday morning.

According to law enforcement officials, the fire started at about 4:31 a.m., at a home along the 700 block of Philadelphia Avenue in Cumru Township -- just outside of Reading -- in Berks County.

By the time first responders arrived, officials said, the fire had spread to three adjacent homes.

Officials on the scene were told that there was a 1-year-old child trapped in the third floor of one of the homes, law enforcement officials said, and first responders attempted to rescue the child.

However, officials said, heavy smoke and falling debris made accessing that floor of the home impossible.

The child was found in her crib and declared deceased after the fire had been extinguished, officials said.

According to law enforcement officials the cause of the fire is still under investigation.

This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as more information becomes available.

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